Dear General Sephiroth
by XxSephFanxX
Summary: The sequel to Zack the Unstoppable is here! With the help of Zack, Cloud attempts to give Sephiroth a love note. But nothing could ever possibly go wrong, could it? SephxCloud


**Sorry this took so long to write! Thanks to everyone who read and reviewed Zack the Unstoppable ^^**

**Warning: More OOC, mainly on Angeal's part. **

**DISCLAIMER: I own nothing. **

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**Dear General Sephiroth…**

How hard could writing a love note be?

That's exactly the same question Cloud had been asking himself since yesterday. He figured it would be easy to write the note. All he had to do was write down his feelings towards the General. It couldn't be _that_ hard, could it?

Yes. Yes it could.

Cloud rested his head on his hand as he stared at the completed note. There. He had finally finished. His feelings for the General lay before him, all crammed into one 8x10 ½ sheet of paper Zack had stolen for him from Lazard's printer.

Sighing heavily, Cloud shifted in his seat and began to read over his work. Would the General think it was too mushy? Cloud had tried to keep it as un-mushy as possible. But what if he hated mushy notes? One time when Zack and Cloud had sneaked into Sephiroth's apartment (which had been entirely Zack's idea), Cloud had seen his wastebasket overflowing with love notes from the various Shinra employees or random fans that stalked him all over the place. Cloud's biggest fear was that the love note that he had slaved over for the last 24 hours would end up in a pitiful, crumpled-up ball in that wastebasket along with the other hundred or so rejects.

But Cloud could not let that happen.

"Heyyy!" The door burst open, and Zack poked his head into the room. Startled, Cloud sprang from his chair and whirled around.

Zack strode into the room, slamming the door behind himself. "What are you doing?" His pale blue eyes rested on the note lying on Cloud's desk. "Ohhh." A mischievous smile spread across Zack's face. Before Cloud could move, Zack snatched the paper up and darted across the room. To Cloud's horror, he began to read it aloud in an overly emotional voice.

"_Dear General Sephiroth. I –" _

"_Give me that!" _Cloud shrieked as he frantically grabbed at the paper, but Zack held it high enough so that it was just out of Cloud's reach.

Zack was laughing too hard at Cloud's embarrassment to continue to read the letter aloud.

"Stop! Don't read it!" Cloud cried as Zack playfully pushed him away, continuing to read the note silently. Once Zack finished reading, he laid the paper down carefully over Cloud's spiky blonde hair.

"There ya go," Zack teased, laughing at Cloud's tomato red face as he grabbed the note from the top of his head and folded it neatly into a little rectangle.

"Stop laughing," Cloud glared at Zack angrily as he held the note firmly in his hand.

Zack stopped immediately, realizing he had gone too far.

"I'm sorry, Cloud," Zack sighed, patting his little spiky-haired friend on the head.

Cloud stared up at him for a moment. "W-was it too mushy?"

"Nah," Zack answered. "Not really." He smirked. "So…when are you gonna give him the note?"

"Um…um...," Cloud stammered. "I dunno."

"Hmm…," Zack thought for a moment, stroking his chin. Then he grinned. "What are you doing this afternoon?"

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_**OPERATION LOVE NOTE: ATTEMPT # 1**_

"Okay, Cloud, I'm in the cafeteria. I don't see him anywh – oh, wait! There he is," Zack reported into his phone quietly as he ducked behind a trash can, receiving odd glances from some of the SOLDIERS as they threw away their trash. "Where are you? Hurry up already."

Cloud sighed as he hurried down the hall towards the cafeteria quickly, dodging people right and left as he made his way to where his beloved General was waiting. "I'm almost there." He clutched the note tightly in his hand, but made sure that he wouldn't crinkle it or bend it in any way. He wanted the note to be perfect when the General got it. There were a few eraser marks on the front where Zack had drawn giant hearts all around Sephiroth's name, and Cloud had freaked out at him until he had reluctantly erased them. At least Cloud had caught Zack before he had tried to color the hearts pink.

Cloud perked up as he heard Zack continue his report. "He's walking over to the table…hmm…_What the- AAAGGGHHHhhh!!!..............Dammit, Angeal, put your trash _IN _the $#&%ing trashcan!!! Ohhhh…._VERY _funny…No…shut up…I'm doing something extremely important here." _Cloud sighed in annoyance as he listened to the argument. _"Beat it… Oh, hey, Cissnei…What's up? How was the vacation-"_

"_ZACK!"_ Cloud screamed into the receiver, fed up. He needed to know where the General was _NOW._

"Right, right. Sorry, Cloud," Zack apologized, and Cloud could almost hear his mischievous smile in his voice. "Let's see…where'd he go… Ohhh! Heyyy Cloud! Over here!"

Cloud had now entered the cafeteria, and could see Zack waving at him from behind a trashcan, the remainders of what must have been Angeal's soda splattered all over him in a sticky mess. Cloud flipped his phone shut and stuffed it into his pocket as he hurried over to Zack, crouching down alongside him.

"There he is," Zack said quietly, pointing towards the corner of the cafeteria across from them. Sure enough, seated at one of the tables, was the object of Cloud's affections: the lovely General Sephiroth.

Zack smirked when he saw Cloud's face turn a deep rosy pink as the General swept his silver hair behind his shoulders. Cloud gazed at the General as his hair shimmered and glistened in the light. It was so…sparkly. Cloud sighed happily. What he wouldn't give to run his fingers through the General's beautiful hair. Cloud thought back to the love note clenched in his hand. Had he included anything about how soft and infatuating the General's hair was? He couldn't remember. Genesis was hovering by Sephiroth, leaning one hand on the table as he conversed with him about some boring meeting they were both being forced to go to, courtesy of Lazard.

"I-I'll just wait till Commander Rhapsodos leaves," Cloud squeaked out as he continue to watch the General. It had been much easier just to think about giving the General the love note; now he wasn't so sure he could do it. But he _had _to!

"There he goes," Zack commented as Genesis wandered off to the other end of the cafeteria, leaving Sephiroth alone. Zack patted Cloud on the back encouragingly. "Here's your chance."

Cloud stood up slowly and stumbled a few steps towards the table, trembling. He told his legs to start walking, but they wouldn't budge. Eventually he found he could shuffle his feet a little and made his way slowly over towards Sephiroth. Several painful moments passed, and then he found himself standing in front of the General's table.

_Oh my GOD._

Cloud stood there for a few moments, literally shaking in his boots before Sephiroth noticed him. Slowly he turned his head up to look at him, with those irresistible emerald eyes…

"Hello…Cloud."

Cloud snapped out of his trance at the sound of the General's voice. _He…he remembered my name! He….wowww. _It took Cloud all he had to keep himself from fainting onto the floor. Although he knew that then the General would probably be the one to carry him off to the infirmary, cradling Cloud's body in those toned, muscular arms. Maybe that wouldn't be so bad…

"H..Hi," Cloud found himself replying, snapping out of his daydream. He was startled that his mouth was making sounds without him realizing.

Sephiroth looked down at the note clenched in Cloud's hand.

"S-sir," Cloud stammered, shaking badly, "Th-this…this is for-"

"_ATTENTION. GENERAL SEPHIROTH, PLEASE REPORT IMMEADIATELY TO THE DIRECTOR'S OFFICE. AGAIN. GENERAL SEPHIROTH, PLEASE REPORT IMMEADIATELY TO THE DIRECTOR'S OFFICE. THANK YOU."_

Cloud could have died. He stood there dumfounded, cursing his bad luck as the General pushed himself up from the table, and looked up at Cloud. He nodded at Cloud and then disappeared into the crowd of the cafeteria before Cloud could get another word out.

Cloud stared at the empty table for a few more moments. He felt a rough pat on his back, and glanced behind him to find Zack standing there, giving him an apologetic look.

"Ouch, Cloud. Sorry about that."

_**OPERATION LOVE NOTE: ATTEMPT # 1**_

_**STATUS: FAILED**_

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_**OPERATION LOVE NOTE: ATTEMPT # 2**_

Cloud trudged down the hallway slowly, still disheartened by the previous day's failure. Zack had attempted to cheer him up earlier, but with no success. Cloud bumped into a few people as he moved sluggishly through the hallway, not paying any attention.

He turned the corner, eyes fixed on the tile floor in front of him. From across the hall, Kunsel gave Cloud a friendly shout, but Cloud only gave a half-hearted smile in reply as he shuffled by.

He wanted to get his mind off the whole incident yesterday, so he could have a chance to regain his confidence (or what was left of it) and try again another time. So Cloud told himself that today, he wasn't going to think about the General at all. Of course, whenever he thought about not thinking about the General, he was really thinking about him anyway by telling himself to not think about him. Cloud sighed. Why did logic have to be so cruel?

Suddenly, an enormous black wall blocked Cloud's path. Cloud stood there in a daze for a few moments, too emotionally drained to move. Then Cloud looked down and discovered that the wall had feet. Feet that were wearing high, black leather boots. Puzzled, he looked up slowly, and realized that the wall was, in fact, the very person he had hoped he wouldn't run into for the rest of the week.

"S-sir!" Cloud choked out as Sephiroth stared down at him, a concerned expression on his face.

"Cloud," Sephiroth responded calmly, "Watch where you're going next time." He said this sincerely to Cloud with the slightest hint of concern, not in his usual icy tone he reserved for whoever had been unfortunate or foolish enough to irritate him.

Cloud nodded stupidly while his mind began to freeze up. What should he do? Now he had a second chance to give him the note. _This is it, Cloud! Just hand him the note… _Cloud mentally guided himself as he dug the note from out of his pocket and began to hold it up to the General.

"S…sir, this is for-"

"_CLOUD!"_ Before Cloud could finish, something hard collided with him, nearly knocking him to the floor. Two huge, muscular arms clamped around him, and before he could comprehend what was going on, he found himself being whisked away down the hallway, away from an extremely confused Sephiroth. Frantic, Cloud looked up at the face of his captor.

"_Angeal?" _Cloud cried out, half-hysterical, struggling to breathe as Angeal dragged him down the stairs like a rag doll. _"What are you doing?" _He shrieked. His attempt to give Sephiroth the love note had been foiled again.

"Cloud, my man! Just the person I need to see," Angeal replied, dodging several SOLDIERs as he raced down the hall, and nearly knocking a few of them off their feet. Cloud watched the hallway become a blur as Angeal raced down it, stopping short here and there to avoid a collision with a sluggish Shinra worker. "Geez, people, MOVE it! Oh man, Cloud, you gotta help me. I'm gonna be in so much trouble."

"What happened?" Cloud gasped as Angeal tightened his grip around Cloud's shoulders, cutting off his air until Cloud cried out. A few moments later, Angeal bolted into the copy room and threw the door shut. He roughly dropped Cloud to the floor and raced over to the copy machine.

"Angeal?" Cloud slowly got to his feet, savoring every breath of air he could after being nearly strangled by Angeal. "What? What is it?"

"You're never gonna believe this," Angeal said as he grabbed Cloud's arm and pulled him over to the machine. "I don't know…I was just copying stuff for Lazard, and then the copier stopped working, so I tried to fix it and… look." Angeal opened the copy machine, and Cloud could see a jumbled mess of wires and machinery. Several sparks jumped from a few open wires dangling dangerously close to Cloud's face, and he pulled back quickly. Cloud wasn't an expert in technology, but he was pretty sure that the inside of a copying machine wasn't supposed to look like that. And it especially wasn't supposed to be _smoking. _Cloud gaped for a few moments in disbelief, then turned to look at Angeal.

"How did you even _do_ that?" Cloud asked, making no attempts to hide his frustration. Angeal had dragged him all the way down here for _this?_

"I don't know! I tried to fix it… and then I must have pulled the wrong wire or something because it started smoking." Angeal explained.

_More like _all _the wrong wires, _Cloud thought angrily. "Why can't you just tell Lazard-"

"_NO!" _Angeal roared, and Cloud nearly hit the ceiling. "No way, Cloud! Lazard's still ticked at me for giving you guys the card key to the Materia Lab. He'd _freak_ if he saw this."

Cloud shuddered as the Materia Lab incident resurfaced in his mind. Desperately, he tried to shove it back into the dark crevices from which it came. "Then what are you going to do?"

"Well, I was kind of hoping you would help me fix this thing," Angeal explained as he gave the copy machine an irritated whack, and dozens of sparks fell to the floor. Cloud felt sorry for the poor machine and could only imagine what Angeal had done to try and "fix" it.

"You have smaller hands that me, man. Do you think you can reach in there and try to fix it?" Angeal asked, holding his giant gloved hands up for comparison.

Cloud stared in disbelief at the copy machine. There was no way he could fix _that_. But before he could protest, Angeal was heading towards the door.

"Thanks, Cloud," he grinned, "You're the best. I'll go stand guard out here and make sure no one comes in." Then the door slammed shut, leaving Cloud alone with the poor, broken down mess of a copy machine.

Cloud grumbled to himself as he began work on the copy machine. If he couldn't fix it, he would at least try to make it look like it wasn't broken.

A few minutes later, Cloud heard the door swing open.

"It's not fixed yet, Angeal," Cloud snapped irritably, not bothering to turn around.

"Excuse me?"

Cloud whirled around, a mess of wires clutched in his hand. Angeal was nowhere in sight. Standing before him, with a puzzled look on his face, was Lazard.

_**OPERATION LOVE NOTE: ATTEMPT # 2**_

_**STATUS: FAILED**_

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_**OPERATION LOVE NOTE: ATTEMPT # 3**_

If the General didn't get his note soon, Cloud was going to lose his mind.

It was killing him inside. So far, all of his attempts to give him the note had been foiled. _Why?_ Cloud had asked himself. Maybe it was because he and the General were never meant to be together. But Cloud refused to let any negative thoughts hold any influence over him.

Laying stretched out across his bed, Cloud glanced over at the calendar and groaned. In a week, he was being shipped off to Modeohiem for a month on an important assignment... which the General would not be on. If Cloud didn't get that note to him this week, he wouldn't have another opportunity for a _month. _Cloud knew he could never wait that long.

Sighing, Cloud hopped off his bed and bounded out of the room, slamming the door behind him. He didn't know why, but he had a feeling that maybe today would be his lucky day.

"Cloud!" Zack grinned as Cloud met up with him in the hall. "Hey, how's it going?"

"Hmm," Cloud replied, a smile spreading on his lips, "I think today will be a good day."

"Awesome." Zack gave Cloud a hard whack on his shoulders, and Cloud stumbled forward from the force.

"Ouch!" Cloud yelled, rubbing his left shoulder as Zack erupted into laughter. "What was that-"

"Cloud."

Cloud's blood froze. He knew that voice. He glanced at Zack, who had a surprised look on his face. "Well, I better get going, Cloud! Bye!" Zack raced off down the hallway before Cloud could stop him. Cloud spun around, and found the General standing before him.

"Oh!" Cloud cried. "S-s-sir. Hello."

"Hello," Sephiroth greeted him. "You know, I've been looking everywhere for you this morning."

Cloud felt an urge to pinch himself on the arm. He had to be dreaming. This could not be actually happening. The General had been looking for _him?_

"For me, sir?" Cloud asked, his voice trembling. He reached a hand into his pocket, waiting for the right moment to pull the note out.

"Yes," Sephiroth answered calmly. His eyes bore into Cloud's and Cloud found that he was unable to look away.

"W-what for, sir?" Cloud squeaked out, his voice an octave higher than usual.

_This is it,_ Cloud told himself. He was shaking in anxiety.

"The Director wants to see you immediately. He says it's urgent."

Cloud's mouth dropped open. He stood there in shock, not sure of what had just happened. He waited expectantly for Sephiroth to say something else, but the General only stared down at him.

"You should go now, Cloud," Sephiroth hinted, and Cloud absentmindedly nodded. "Now."

"Right," Cloud answered, defeated. Before he could say anything else, Sephiroth disappeared into the crowded hall.

Cloud sighed. So much for having a good day. He leaned against the wall for a few moments, then hurried off to the Director's office.

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"Ah, Cloud, there you are," Lazard greeted Cloud as he stepped into the office, closing the door gently behind him.

"Sir," Cloud nodded his head respectfully, "General Sephiroth said you've been looking for me?"

"I have, Cloud," Lazard answered. Cloud noticed that while his voice was calm, he looked irritated.

"For what, sir?" Cloud squeaked.

"You see, I was speaking with Angeal earlier, and I understand that it was you who broke my copy machine."

_**OPERATION LOVE NOTE: ATTEMPT # 3**_

_**STATUS: FAILED**_

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_**OPERATION LOVE NOTE: ATTEMPT # 4**_

Cloud groaned as his alarm clock buzzed obnoxiously in his ear. He was having one of those days where he wished he could just stay in bed all day. Irritated, he rolled over and shut the clock off.

"Heyyy, Cloud!" He heard Zack call from outside. The door was flung open, and light flooded into the room, blinding Cloud. He screamed and buried his head under his pillow.

Zack strode into the room, grinning. "C'mon, Cloud, rise and shine! Today could be the big day, you know."

"Mmmphh," came Cloud's muffled reply.

"Awww, Cloud," Zack threw the covers off the bed and wrestled the pillow from Cloud's grip. "C'mon. Up."

"Fine," Cloud grumbled, stumbling out of bed. "I'll be right out."

"Okayyy," Zack sang as he bounced out of the room and shut the door to give Cloud his privacy.

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"Sooo, Cloud," Zack threw an arm around Cloud's shoulders as they walked down the hall, "You think today'll be the day?"

"Nah," Cloud sighed. "Not today."

"You can't be like that, Cloud!" Zack protested, grabbing Cloud by the shoulders roughly. Cloud groaned. He could sense a 'be positive' speech coming on any second. "You gotta think positive, man. None of this "not today" crap. If you see Seph today, you gotta give him that note, okay?"

Cloud nodded lifelessly. He just couldn't get into the positive vibe today. Then something caught his eye.

From across the hallway, Cloud saw Sephiroth surrounded by several cadets, looking slightly annoyed. Sephiroth met Cloud's gaze, and Cloud nearly squealed in excitement.

Then, to Cloud's amazement, the General turned the corners of his mouth up into what looked like a smile.

General Sephiroth was _smiling _at him.

Zack whistled. "See, Cloud? Not such a bad day after all." But Cloud was too mesmerized by the General's smile to listen.

Zack patted Cloud on the head. "Go get him. This could be your big chance."

Cloud pulled the note out of his pocket and was just about to take a step towards Sephiroth when an ear piercing scream split the air.

"AIIEEEE!"

"What the-"

"RUN!"

"AAAGGGHHH!"

"CLEAR THE HALLS!" Sephiroth bellowed. Everyone in the hall began scrambling madly for the nearest rooms. Cloud stood in the midst of the chaos, unable to see what everyone was running from. Then he realized what it was.

A huge, hairy monster was lumbering through the hall, tossing people left and right to the ground as it passed. And it was headed right towards Cloud.

"Come on, Cloud!" Zack was pulling on his arm. The monster was nearly on top of them now. "Get out of the way! Let me take care of this thing-"

But it was too late. Before Cloud could get out of the way, the monster scooped Cloud into one of its huge, hairy arms and bolted down the hall, wreaking havoc and terrorizing people along the way.

"CLOUD!" Zack screamed as he drew his sword. "Hang on, I'm coming!" But suddenly he felt a hand rest on his shoulder, and turned to find Sephiroth standing behind him.

"I'll handle this," Sephiroth declared, and darted down the hall in pursuit of Cloud and the monster before Cloud could say anything.

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Cloud couldn't believe it. Twice this week, he had been carried off against his will. Terrified, he struggled to break free of the monster's grip. But the monster only roared in his face each time, covering him in slimy monster spit.

"Let me go!" Cloud screamed. He kicked and punched at the monster, but it had no effect. "ZACK! HELP!"

"Hold on!" He heard a voice call, but it wasn't Zack. Cloud bent his neck back as far as the monster's grip would allow to figure out the identity of his rescuer. To his excitement, he realized that Sephiroth was not too far behind them, closing in on the monster.

"Sir!" Cloud cried out. _He's going to rescue me!_ Cloud thought happily. _He cares about me!_

The monster snarled as it realized it was being followed, and made a sloppy turn down another hall, headed towards the Research Lab. Cloud realized that the hall they were now in was a dead end. Sephiroth would save him, defeat the monster, and then his chance would come and he could finally give him the note. It seemed like a cliche fairy tale, but Cloud didn't care.

Cloud was suprised at himself. Here he was, being carried off across Shinra by a giant monster that could probably kill him if it wanted to, and he was more concerned about giving Sephiroth the note.

Something dangling around the monster's thick neck caught Cloud's attention. As he inspected it closer, he realized that the monster was wearing an ID tag. He grabbed the tag and read it carefully. Apparently the monster was another one of Hojo's creations. Cloud realized that he now felt a sudden urge to strangle Hojo.

The monster skidded to a halt as it realized it was trapped in the hall. Snarling angrily, it turned to face Sephiroth. Sephiroth held his sword menacingly to the monster's ugly face.

The monster pounded a grizzly fist against the wall. Cloud gulped. Sephiroth's sword was now only a foot or so away from his head.

Suddenly, the monster hurled Cloud onto the floor, surrendering its prize. It crouched down, snarled again, and charged Sephiroth. He dodged the monster smoothly, then spun around and proceeded to attack it.

Cloud lay on the floor, rubbing his head in pain. As he got to his feet, he heard a few growls and then a loud whimper. The General stood before him, holding the defeated monster by the throat as it attempted to swipe at him. In Sephiroth's other hand was the monster's ID tag.

"S-sir!" Cloud was nearly crying with relief. "Thank-"

"Hold on, Cloud," Sephiroth interrupted him. He marched over to the Research Lab door, his anger visible. He pounded on it roughly with his free hand.

The door slid open, and Hojo peered out into the hall.

"Sephiroth!" Hojo exclaimed. "What can I do for you?"

"Excuse me, sir, but I believe I've found something that belongs to you."

"Oh? What have you - AAAGGGHHH!"

To Cloud's horror, Sephiroth hurled the snarling monster into Hojo with all his might. He could see Hojo flailing around on the floor, but the monster had already begun its merciless attack. With his other hand, Sephiroth tossed the ID tag into the lab carelessly.

"Don't let it happen again," Sephiroth growled, then quickly shut the door and flipped the lock. Then he turned to face Cloud again, all traces of anger completely gone from his face. "You were saying, Cloud?"

Cloud was gaping at Sephiroth, still in disbelief. He had never imagined Sephiroth to be the type of person to throw angry monsters at people, even if they deserved it.

"Umm, um..." Cloud stammered, trying to shake the whole incident off. "W-why was the monster after me?"

_Shoot,_ Cloud thought. _What am I doing? I need to give him the note._

"I'm not sure," Sephiroth answered, his emerald eyes meeting Cloud's. "I guess it's because you're a very likeable person, Cloud."

Cloud froze. Sephiroth let out a small gasp and looked away as if he hadn't meant to say that out loud.

Cloud studied his face carefully. Was the General..._blushing?_

"Well," Sephiroth tried to cover up the akward silence. "I need to leave." And with that, Sephiroth started down the hall.

Cloud watched helplessly as his last chance was slipping away from him. This was it, now or never.

"_NO!"_ Cloud bellowed, his voice echoing through the hall.

Sephiroth whirled around, startled. "Y-yes, Cloud?" He asked, puzzled.

Cloud marched up to Sephiroth, all traces of fear gone. "Sir, this is for you." He held the note out confidently.

The General paused for a moment. Then he gently took the note from Cloud's hand. "Thank you."

"W-will you read it?" Cloud asked, his fear starting to return as the reality of what he had just done hit him.

Sephiroth smiled at him, and Cloud thought his heart had stopped. "Of course."

"CLOUD!" Zack came running down the hall, a concerned expression on his face. "There you are. I was so worried, man! Thanks so much, Sephiroth. Are you okay, Cloud?"

"I'm fine," Cloud answered. "It's okay, Zack."

"Well, then," Sephiroth said, "I'd better get going. Don't run into any more monsters, okay, Cloud?"

"S-sure," Cloud stammered. "Thank you, sir."

"It was nothing," Sephiroth called as he made his way down the hall, leaving Zack and Cloud alone.

Zack could barely contain his excitement. "You gave him the note, didn't you? Go, Cloud! You're the man!"

Cloud sunk to his knees, groaning. "Yeah. I did."

Zack stopped his one-man celebration and stared down at Cloud in sympathy. "Aww, Cloud! It's gonna be fine. Besides, what's important is that you were brave enough to give him the note. Right?"

Cloud thought for a moment. Slowly he got to his feet and turned to face Zack, smiling. "Yeah."

"There we go!" Zack cried, slinging an arm around Cloud's shoulders. "Let's go celebrate! Did I tell you that the SOLDIER lounge got a Wii? You gotta try it."

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A gentle knock on the door startled Cloud out of his sleep. He rolled out of bed and trudged over to open the door, rubbing sleep out of his eyes.

"Zack, the door's unlocked, so-"

Cloud gasped when he found the General standing in the doorway.

"Sir?" Cloud cried. "I-I'm sorry, I thought you were-"

"It's fine," Sephiroth interrupted. "I understand." He paused for a moment and cleared his throat. "Cloud, may I speak with you for a moment?"

"Of course!" Cloud exclaimed, wishing he hadn't sounded so eager. "Of course," he corrected himself quietly.

"Well," Sephiroth paused, unsure of where to begin. "I read the note you gave me yesterday. And..." His voice trailed off as he tried to decide how to word his next sentence.

Cloud felt himself break into a cold sweat. This was it. Did the General have the same feelings for him? Or was he being rejected? It was too much suspense for Cloud to handle. _And what? _Cloud screamed in his mind.

"Well, there's an exclusive Shinra dinner party tomorrow night. Are you...busy then?"

"No," Cloud answered quickly, not even thinking about what he might have already planned to do tomorrow night. Whatever it was, it couldn't be nearly as important as what he thought Sephiroth was about to ask him.

"Then...I'm sorry it's such short notice, but...I was wondering if you would like to come," Sephiroth explained. "As my guest." Then he smiled. "I would like to get to know you better, Cloud."

Cloud fainted.

_**OPERATION LOVE NOTE**_

_**STATUS: SUCCESS**_

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**Thanks so much for reading! ^^ Hope you liked it!**


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